American Studies Commons^™

Goal Conflicts, Self-Regulation, And Course Completion: A Comparison Of Web-Based Learners To Traditional Classroom Learners, Barbara Moore

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the goal conflicts, self-regulation, and course completion of post-secondary learners and to compare these factors in distance and traditional learners. Participants completed a self-report survey given on-line to those who had Internet access and administered in paper format to students in traditional classrooms. Procrastination, socializing, and employment were the most common goal conflicts reported by participants. Significantly more web-based students than traditional students were employed and were employed more average hours. Web-based students also had more children under the age of 12 than did traditional students. A significantly greater percentage of web-based …

Developing Culture Conditions To Study Keratocyte Phenotypes In Vitro, Kurt Musselmann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The corneal wound healing response involves the activation of keratocytes to proliferate from a quiescent phenotype. The mitogens that cause the initial transformation of the quiescent keratocytes to the active phenotype have not been identified. Even though serum is commonly used to replicate this in vitro, the cornea is avascular and therefore likely not exposed to serum. In the first part of this dissertation, a DMEM/F12 extract of corneal stromas was made and shown to stimulate keratocyte proliferation in both a dose-dependent and cell-density dependent manner. This extract contains mitogens that differ from the mitogens present in serum based on …

Regression Approach To Software Reliability Models, Abdelelah M. Mostafa

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many software reliability growth models have beenanalyzed for measuring the growth of software reliability. In this dissertation, regression methods are explored to study software reliability models. First, two parametric linear models are proposed and analyzed, the simple linear regression and transformed linearregression corresponding to a power law process. Some software failure data sets do not follow the linear pattern. Analysis of popular real life data showed that these contain outliers andleverage values. Linear regression methods based on least squares are sensitive to outliers and leverage values. Even though the parametric regression methods give good results in terms of error measurement …

Multicultural Education And Cultural Competence In The High Accountability Era: A Study Of Teacher Perception, Jennifer Morley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As America's public schools become more diverse, the achievement gap between white students and students of color persists. These gaps are even more apparent in urban areas that serve large numbers of poor students of color. Because the population of aspiring teachers is increasingly white and middle class, theorists and teacher trainers often recommend multicultural education as a solution to working successfully in these schools. Multicultural education theorists claim that their suggestions for K-12 practitioners have not been infused into classrooms and schools, and so maintain that additional training opportunities should be provided for teachers. Although there is ample literature …

A Design Of Experiments Study Of Procedure For Assembling Bascule Bridge Fulcrum, Cuong Q. Nguyen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A bascule bridge is a type of movable bridge that can be opened or closed to facilitate the movement of water-borne traffic such as ships and yachts. Trunnion-Hub-Girder (THG) assembly plays a role as a fulcrum in the bascule bridge. To make the fulcrum, the trunnion is shrink-fitted into the hub, and then the trunnion-hub assembly is shrink-fitted into the girder. Hundreds of thousands of dollars could be lost due to failures during this step. Crack formations in the hubs of various Florida bascule bridges during assembly led the Florida Department of Transportation to commission a project with USF professors …

Effects Of Translocation On The Florida Burrowing Owl, Athene Cunicularia Floridana, Per Anders Nixon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

At present, the Florida Burrowing Owl is being threatened by extensive habitat development throughout their small range in the state. Unfortunately, developers are able to collapse burrowing owl burrows during the non-breeding season and flush the owls from an area. In other areas such as Arizona and British Columbia translocation is being utilized to mitigate the effects of development on burrowing owls. In March 2006, the only translocation of burrowing owls in Florida was conducted by Mosaic Phosphate Company. The purpose of this thesis was to elucidate the effects of translocation on Florida burrowing owls. Topics of research include activity …

Vocal And Instrumental Musicians: Electrophysiologic And Psychoacoustic Analysis Of Pitch Discrimination And Production, Dee Adams Nikjeh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Neurological evidence indicates that instrumental musicians experience changes in the auditory system following skill acquisition and sensory training; yet, little is known about auditory neural plasticity in formally trained vocal musicians. Furthermore, auditory pitch discrimination and laryngeal control are recognized as essential skills for vocal musicians; however, the relationship between physiological variables, perceptual abilities, and vocal production is unclear. Electrophysiologic and psychoacoustic measures were used to examine pitch production accuracy as well as pre-attentive and active pitch discrimination between nonmusicians and two classes of musicians. Participants included 40 formally trained musicians (19 vocalists/21 instrumentalists) and 21 nonmusician controls. All were …

Thermal Analyses Of Hydrophilic Polymers Used In Nanocomposites And Biocompatible Coatings, Kadine Mohomed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSRACT: This research focuses on two hydrophilic polymers that form hydrogels when they sorb water: Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and Poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PDHPMA). Present work in the field obviated the need to properly characterize the thermal and dielectric properties of these materials.The dielectric permittivity, e', and the loss factor, e", of dry poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly(2,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate) were measured using a dielectric analyzer in the frequency range of 0.1Hz to 100 kHz and between the temperature range of -150 °C to 275°C. The dielectric response of the sub-Tg gamma transition of PHEMA has been widely studied before but little to no …

Measurement Of Nerve Growth Factor In Induced Sputum And Exhaled Breath Condensate, Victor Maduabuchi Nwiloh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Several tests are available for evaluation of respiratory disorders but most of them are invasive and associated with some risk or patient discomfort. Examples include bronchoscopy (bronchoalveolar lavage, BAL) [1], venopuncture [2] and sputum induction [3]. Noninvasive sampling of nongaseous substances contained in expired air, collected as exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has been used to detect inflammatory markers and by-products including nitric oxide and arachidonic acid metabolites and proteins [4]. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a protein that has been implicated in neurogenic airway inflammation and this pilot study aimed to develop a non-invasive approach for evaluation of allergic airway …

Investigating The Fouling Behavior Of Reverse Osmosis Membranes Under Different Operating Conditions, Dhananjaya P. Niriella

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes the investigation of the fouling of a reverse osmosis membrane under different operating conditions. A mass transfer model to predict the permeate flux decline is defined. These studies used kaolin clay and bentonite clay as the fouling particles. As the membranes, thin film Low fouling Composite 1 polyamide reverse osmosis flat sheet membranes were used. Baseline experiments using only kaolin in D.I. water were conducted. At an operating pressure of approximately 1,380 kPa, no flux decline was observed. These results established the effects of a membrane-particle interaction. For the fouling experiments with kaolin clay, experiments show a …

Evaluation Of Aashto Design Specifications For Cast-In-Place Continuous Bridge Deck Using Remote Sensing Technique, Ebrahim Mehranipornejad

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research project concerns the construction, testing, and remote health monitoring of the first smart bridge structure in Florida, the East Bay bridge in Gibsonton, Hillsborough County. The East Bay Bridge is a four span, continuous, deck-type structure with a total length of 120' and width of 55'. The superstructure consists of an 18'' cast-in-place reinforced concrete slab, and is supported on pre-stressed pile bents, each consisting of 5 piles. The smart sensors used for remote health monitoring are the newly emerged Fabry --Perot (FP) Fiber Optic Sensors, and are both surface-mounted and embedded in the concrete deck.Static and Dynamic …

The Information Technology Professional’S Psychological Contract Viewed Through Their Employment Arrangement And The Relationship To Organizational Behaviors, Sandra Kay Newton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Information technology (IT) professionals are continually placed in diverse employment arrangements as organizations continually look for ways to cut costs, enhance performance and maximize organizational goals. Organizations are using strategies beyond hiring permanent employees to achieve objectives in alternative sourcing. Even though the cost differential is positive when employing non-permanent individuals instead of permanent employees, little is known about the effects on the IT professional.This field study was designed to test the effects of employment arrangements on the IT professional's psychological contract and the effects of the level of fulfillment of their psychological contract on their organizational citizenship and innovative …

Coral Reef Habitat Change And Water Clarity Assessment (1984-2002) For The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Using Landsat Satellite Data, David A. Palandro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The decline of coral reef habitats has been witnessed on a global scale, with some of the most dramatic decline occurring in the florida keys. as remote sensing can provide a synoptic view of coral reef ecosystems, 28 landsat images (1984-2002) were utilized to study water clarity and habitat change. first, the data were used to derive the diffuse attenuation coefficient (kd, m-1), a measure of water clarity, for 29 sites throughout the florida keys national marine sanctuary (fknms). landsat-derived kd values from bands 1 (blue) and 2 (green) provided useful information for 26 of 29 sites, whereas band 3 …

Distribution And Habitat Characterization Of The Florida Burrowing Owl In Non-Urban Areas, Mark S. Mueller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The full geographic distribution and habitat use of the Florida Burrowing Owl, a state "Species of Special Concern," is not well-understood, particularly in remote, non-urban areas. This thesis aimed to expand and improve knowledge about non-urban burrowing owls. We first compiled databases of historic sighting observations. Fieldwork verified and updated existing breeding observation point records and also yielded new breeding locations. Using a GIS, we characterized observed land use, landcover, relevant soil attributes, projected future land use and managed area status for selected points. We quantified landcover within biologically-determined buffer distances around burrows from our own field-verified records. Using standard …

A Novel Approach To Manipulate Cavity Size In Resorcinarenes, Sumedh Parulekar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Intramolecular ring closing metathesis in the presence of Grubbs' catalyst has been used as an efficient approach to synthesize bridged resorcinarenes. Octaallyl cavitands may undergo conformational changes; however bridge formation by RCM of the allyl groups gives a rigid, enforced, concave cavity capable of holding neutral molecules. This is the first report describing tandem formation of the four bridges on the upper rim of resorcinarenes. Structures of bridged resorcinarenes are confirmed by spectral analysis data.This report also describes the synthesis of polyhydroxy resorcinarenes, which have been used as metal complexing agents, sensors, receptors, molecular reaction vessels and catalytic chambers. They …

Altered Features Of Female Pigeons (Columba Livia) Elicit Preference Behavior In Male Pigeons, Tadd B. Patton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that male pigeons (Columba livia) respond with courtship displays to video playbacks of a female pigeon indicating that they 'recognize' the female as a potential mate. Courtship displays significantly decline when the head region of the female is occluded (Shimizu, 1998) suggesting that features located within the head are important for species recognition and mate selection. However, little is known about the exact visual features necessary to elicit displays. The current study examined the preference behavior of male pigeons when given a choice between photographic images of normal looking or altered female pigeon faces. The altered-face …

The Acquisition Of Spanish Through Videoconferencing And Video-Based Lessons By Individual Fifth Graders, Annette L. Norwood

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth examination of the language learning experiences of four fifth-grade students learning Spanish through videoconferencing and video-based lessons. This interpretive qualitative study involved intensive data collection over a period of 7 months through participant observation, audio and video recording of classes with subsequent transcription, and interviews of the students and their teachers. The following points of focus guided this research: (a) What instances of interaction and output are observed in the different instructional settings?; (b) Are patterns of change observed in learners' language production during the period under study?; (c) What …

Maximizing The Educational Effects Of Collaborative Learning: The Role Of Vested Interest, Christina Partin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study, using a quasi-experimental research design, investigates connections between pedagogy and social psychology by applying social psychological theories of group work and interaction to collaborative learning, a current trend in pedagogical techniques. It was hypothesized that by creating a setting in which students would be evaluated based in part on the performance of their peers would improve their individual performance. The incentive (a percentage of their grade) would hypothetically motivate students to teach their peers effectively; thus they would be taking a vested-interest role in becoming a co-teacher to their partner. This study was implemented by examining two sections …

Perceptions Of School Climate And Bullying In Middle Schools, Irene Pintado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bullying has been identified as a problem that can affect the physical and psychosocial health of both the aggressors and victims. Given the consequences for those who bully, for victims, and for the school environment, early intervention is important to minimize these risks. School staff need additional data to understand the scope of bullying and to adopt effective strategies. This study seeks to meet this need by analyzing the association of bullying behaviors and school climate perceptions of middle school students within the context of school membership. This study used Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory. Within this framework, a bullying interaction …

Late Holocene Planktic Foraminiferal Assemblages From Orca Basin; Effects Of Dissolution On Faunal Assemblages, Denise D. Palmer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Studies of planktic foraminifers have been, and continue to be, very important to paleoceanographic reconstructions and are dependent on the integrity of the carbonate tests. This study investigates the methods and procedures that can be used to obtain an accurate planktic foraminifer assemblage. Samples from Orca Basin boxcore OB-BC4D were processed and examined to obtain census data on planktic foraminifers. Experimentation of the splitting technique demonstrates the method is acceptable for estimating a planktic foraminifer assemblage. The effects of a sonication step in the processing of the faunal assemblage were also examined and revealed that sonication is not recommended for …

Breast Cancer: Relationship Between Acculturation And Barriers To Breast Cancer Screening In Southwest Florida Latinas, Patricia Patino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite multiple campaigns by the American Cancer Society, reports indicate that Latinas living in the United States who contract breast cancer are more likely than Anglos to die. These findings correlate with low participation in breast cancer screenings among Latinas. The objective of this study was to identify key obstacles that influence Latinas' low participation in breast cancer screenings, based on their health beliefs, knowledge of screenings, acculturation, and socio-economic factors.The study was a face-to-face informal interview, combined with a survey questionnaire conducted at churches, social clubs and/or at the participants' homes in a southwest Florida urban community. The sample …

Analysis Of Quasiconformal Maps In RN, Andrew Purcell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we examine quasiconformal mappings in Rn. We begin by proving basic properties of the modulus of curve families. We then give the geometric, analytic,and metric space definitions of quasiconformal maps and show their equivalence. We conclude with several computational examples.

The Science And Policy That Compels The Wetland Mitigation Of Phosphate-Mined Lands, Nejma Danielle Piagentini

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The State of Florida ranks fifth in the world's production of phosphate. The phosphate industry relies on surface mining to withdraw the phosphate ore, and this process can devastate the natural environment. One of the most impacted natural resources is wetlands. Federal laws permit the legal destruction of wetlands providing their loss is compensated by the mitigation (i.e., the restoration, creation, or enhancement) of other wetlands, but the complexity of wetland ecosystems makes the mitigation process difficult. One of the goals of this thesis is to review the established Federal, State and non-regulatory guidelines for the development and maintenance of …

The Contribution Of The Neighborhood Context To Social Disparities In Access To Health Care Among Sexually Experienced Adolescent Females, Jodi Nearns

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Access to health care is an important resource for sexually experienced adolescent females in the prevention of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. However, a paucity of research exists regarding the extent to which social disparities in access to health care exist among this vulnerable population of adolescents, including the potential contribution of the neighborhood context. Therefore, the primary aims of this dissertation were to examine (1) the extent to which racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to health care exist among sexually experienced adolescent females, (2) the extent to which access to health care among sexually experienced …

Contributions To The Degree Theory For Perturbations Of Maximal Monotone Maps, Joseph Quarcoo

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Let x be a real reflexive separable locally uniformly convex banach space with locally uniformly convex dual spacex *. Let t:x\supset d(t)\rightarrow 2 {x *} be maximal monotone with 0\in t(0), 0\in intd(t) and c:x\supset d(c)\rightarrow x *. Assume that $l\subset d(c)$ is a dense linear subspace of x, c is of class (s_+)_l and \langle cx,x\rangle\geq-\psi(\lx\l), x\in d(c), where \psi:\mathbb{r} +\rightarrow\mathbb{r} + is nondecreasing. a new topological degree is developed for the sum t+c in chapter one. This theory extends the recent degree theory for the operators c of type (s_+)_{0,l} in [15]. unlike such a recent extension to …

Influence Of Solution And Surface Chemistry On Yttrium And Rare Earth Element Sorption, Kelly Ann Quinn

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The sorption behavior of yttrium and the rare earth elements (YREEs) was investigated using a variety of hydroxide precipitates over a range of solution conditions. Experiments with amorphous hydroxides of Al, Ga, and In were conducted at constant pH (~6.0) and constant ionic strength (I = 0.01 M), while YREE sorption by amorphous ferric hydroxide was examined over a range of ionic strength (0.01 M < ̲ I < ̲ 0.09 M), pH (3.9 < ̲ pH < ̲ 7.1), carbonate concentration (0 M < ̲ [CO32-]T < ̲ 150 micro-M), and temperature (10°C < ̲ T < ̲ 40°C). Sorption results were quantified via distribution coefficients, expressed as ratios of YREE concentrations between the solid and the solution, and normalized to concentrations of the sorptive solid substrate. Distribution coefficient patterns for Al, Ga, and In hydroxides were well correlated with the pattern for YREE hydrolysis.

In contrast, amorphous ferric hydroxide developed a distinct pattern that was different than those for Al, Ga, and In precipitates but similar to the pattern predicted for natural marine particles. YREE sorption was shown to …

Statistical Models In Environmental And Life Sciences, Lakshminarayan Rajaram

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation focuses on developing statistical models in environmental and life sciences. The Generalized Extreme Value distribution is used to model annual monthly maximum rainfall data from 44 locations in Florida. Time dependence of the rainfall data is incorporated into the model by assuming the location parameter to be a function of time, both linear and quadratic. Estimates and confidence intervals are obtained for return levels of return periods of 10, 20, 50, and 100 years. Locations are grouped into statistical profiles based on their similarities in return level graphs for all locations, and locations within each climatic zone. A …

Transit Market Evaluation Of Seniors Losing Driving Privileges, Oliver A. Page

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The projected growth of persons ages 65 and older in the U.S. over the next few decades will usher in an era of unprecedented numbers of seniors licensed to drive. For some members of this group, there will come a time where driving will have to cease due to a variety of factors. At that juncture in their lives, these seniors may have to consider transportation alternatives other than the personally operated vehicle. The objective of this study is to evaluate potential changes in transit market share arising from travel behavior changes of seniors who lose their driving privileges. This …

Recognizable Languages Defined By Two-Dimensional Shift Spaces, Joni Burnette Pirnot

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There are numerous connections between the theory of formal languages and that of symbolic dynamics. In each, the transition from one dimension to two dimensionsis accompanied by much difficulty due in large part to the emptiness problem, which is related to the presence (or lack thereof) of periodic points and is known to be undecidable. Here, we focus on two-dimensional languages that have the property that all blocks allowed by the language can be extended to a configuration of the plane satisfying the structure of the language; for such languages the emptiness problem is not an issue. We first show …

Leadership Predictors Of Proactive Organizational Behavior: Facilitating Personal Initiative, Voice Behavior, And Exceptional Service Performance, Johannes Rank

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Proactive organizational behavior is characterized by self-started and long-term oriented activities involving forward thinking and the intention to effect change in one's work environment. The primary objective of this research was to investigate relationships of supervisory behaviors with subordinates' personal initiative, voice behavior, and proactive service performance and to reveal moderators and mediators of these associations. Whereas personal initiative represents a wide range of proactive behaviors, voice behavior specifically reflects challenging and constructive forms of change-oriented communication. Drawing on the proactivity, service, and performance literatures, the proactive service performance construct was newly conceptualized as self-started and long-term oriented service behavior …